The Looking Game
by Alien Under the Bed
Summary: "Let's play a game, Sealand," said Finland shakily. "It's called the Looking Game. All you have to do is keep looking forward. Whatever you do, don't look back. Please, don't look back." Warning: some disturbing content. Not for the fainthearted.


**A/N**: I wrote this after a night of looking up horror urban legends on Google (now I can't remember what it feels like to have a good night's sleep). Tried to keep it short and to the point, since most urban legends are written like that.

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"I'm going to get some firewood while it's still light out," said Sweden. He had finished setting up the tents in the campground, and he wanted a good fire going before it got too dark out. "I'll be back soon."

Finland looked up from where he was watching Sealand make snails race each other in the damp, grassy soil.

"Okay," he consented cheerfully, and waved at Sweden's retreating form.

A few hours later, twilight had laid it dark strip of orange at the edge of the horizon, and Sweden had not yet returned. Finland frowned, peering into the forest where Sweden had disappeared.

"I'm going to go look for him," he told Sealand, shrugging on his jacket. "You stay here."

Sealand nodded and continued playing with his action figures. Not long after, he heard the gentle crunch of boots on fallen leaves and branches. It was Finland; his face was very pale and his hands and knees were trembling slightly. Wordlessly, he took Sealand's hand and led him to their car, buckling him into the back seat before climbing unsteadily into the driver's seat.

"What's going on?" asked Sealand, confused. Finland fumbled with the car keys and, after a few mumbled curses, managed to stab them into the ignition slot and start the car.

"Let's play a game, Sealand," he said shakily as he began to drive them away. "It's called the Looking Game. All you have to do is keep looking forward. Whatever you do, don't look back. _Please_, don't look back."

Sealand was puzzled and started to twist around in his seat, but Finland barked his name sharply. He twisted back around.

"Why?" he asked in his childish manner.

"Because then you'll lose the game," Finland replied, turning on his blinkers to signal a left turn. To the left was a small town right next to the campsite, with a gas station, a general hospital, and a police station. "If you win, then I'll buy you an ice cream at the gas station. But if you look behind you, then you'll lose, and then you'll have to buy _me _an ice cream."

"No fair! I don't have any money," Sealand protested.

"Then don't look back," said Finland. Sealand grumbled quietly, not entirely satisfied with this reply, but decided to play anyways. However, as Finland was making his left turn, Sealand glanced up at the rearview mirror and noticed something hanging from a tree. He squinted but lost sight of it as Finland pulled into the road to town. Sealand puzzled over the strange sight. It was too dark to tell what it was, but it had almost looked like...a piñata?

Sealand grinned suddenly, having figured out Finland's secret. His birthday was in a few days; they must be planning a surprise party for him! Sweden hadn't gone into the forest to get firewood at all; he had gone to hang up the piñata. Sealand was still grinning to himself, pleased with his cleverness, when Finland pulled into a parking space in front of the police station. He looked back at Sealand, who quickly schooled his face into a neutral expression, not wanting him to know that he had figured out the surprise.

"Alright, Sealand, I'm going to go in there and have a quick word with the nice policemen about something." Sealand started to unbuckle his seat belt, but Finland stopped him. He didn't want him to overhear what he was about to tell the police. "No, Sealand, you stay here. Lock all the doors, okay?"

He got out of the car and entered the police station. Sealand, however, did not lock the doors. As soon as Finland was gone, he snuck out of the car and ran back to the campsite. He was overwhelmed with curiosity and excitement over the surprise, and wanted to go back and find the piñata. Maybe Sweden was still there; he was starting to wonder why he hadn't come back. Surely it didn't take that long to set up a surprise party?

He passed their tents and ventured into the forest. It was not fully dark outside yet, but it was difficult to see where he was going. He went back to the tents and fished around in his backpack until he found his flashlight, then clicked it on and went into the forest again. He waved the flashlight around but couldn't find anything. _Maybe I passed it? _he wondered. But just as he was about to give up and sneak back to the police station, he saw it, hanging from a thick branch on one of the taller trees. It was swaying slightly.

Thrilled at his discovery, Sealand ran towards it. He suddenly tripped and landed in something cold and spongy. He shone the flashlight on it and inspected it with confusion, poking it lightly. Did somebody eat a sandwich here and spill some jelly? When he sniffed it, however, the scent was not sweet like he was expecting. Instead, it smelled coppery, almost like...blood?

The figure continued to sway. Sealand tilted the flashlight up until he could see the figure clearly in the light.

It was not a piñata. It was Sweden, hanging stiffly by a rope around his purple neck, his eyes gauged out and his intestines dangling like pink streamers from the gaping tear in his stomach.

The last thing Sealand heard was the faint wail of sirens before a masked figure leaped out from behind a tree and plunged a knife into his throat.


End file.
